The 'As long as you're nailing' Oath
by You-drive-me-nuts-miller
Summary: Nick and Jess are having fun exploring their new relationship, but Schmidt is not taking it well at all... An accompaniment to early to season three. *some chapters have mild M content*
1. Part One

**I want to say a HUGE thank you to Ztofan! She checks and gives advice on all my stories and I do not thank her enough! She gave me a lot of help with this one - it would not have been possible without her. So thank you - you are awesome!**

_We,_ the_ undersigned, agree to limit our carnal activities to the following times and locations:_

_-Weekdays, between the hours of 8am and 6pm_  
_-Alternate weekdays, 10-10.30pm (Special dispensation to be agreed for selected national holidays)_  
_-Weekend activities will be limited to timings when the loft is not inhabited by other occupants and/or times when the other inhabitants are entertaining guests of the opposite sex._  
_-The only acceptable locations for said activities will be the sleeping spaces of Roommate 1 and Roommate exceptions._

_Signed:_  
_Nicholas Miller –Roommate 1_  
_Jessica Day – Roommate 2_

"No Schmidt, not going to happen, I am not signing that." Jess shook her head as she pushed the notepad back towards him. Schmidt was sitting opposite her on the long dining room table. Defiantly, she folded her arms across her chest and lay back against the dining table chair.

"Jessica I have watched on for the past week while you two maul each other at every opportunity! On the couch, in the kitchen -just yesterday I was trying to use the bathroom and you two were both in the shower. I'm still scarred by the noises you were making!"

"Ew Schmidt - you were listening to us!"

"Not on purpose!," he shifted his gaze to Nick, "Do you realise how loud you are? If we are to preserve the delicate balance in this loft there must be rules! Without rules, there is chaos!" Schmidt's expression was a cross between earnest self-belief and petulant child. She rolled her eyes as she picked up her mug and sipped her tea.

"An 'As Long As You're Nailing Oath,' Schmidt? That kinda insinuates this isn't going to last," Nick said from his seat at the table. "And it is."

"It is," Jess echoed. Quickly, she turned and looked at him, "Wait, I hope that's not the only problem you have with this!"

"No, no Jess, I mean, I just-" Nick unceremoniously launched himself at Jess's lips, slipping his hand into her hair and pressing her mouth against his own. Her muffled cries of 'Oh God' were barely audible over the heavy breathing and sound of smacking lips.

"You see, this is exactly what I mean!" Schmidt screamed, pushing his chair back from the table in disgust.

They pulled apart from each other, looking flushed and slightly sheepish."Sorry," Jess apologized with a shrug, "We just started dating. You know what it's like." She gave Nick a look and he pulled her onto his lap.

"So what were we talking about?" Nick asked, staring up at Jessica, a little dazed.

Schmidt groaned and began to remove his cufflinks and push up the sleeves of his shirt. "You see what you've done to him?" he said to Jess. "We were talking, Nicholas, about your carnal activities with Miss Day."

"Carnal activities?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sex. Nailing. The horizontal tango. Buttering her toast. You running amok in her lady garden. Parking your car in her garage. Playing hide the sausage-"

"He gets the point Schmidt," Jess interjected.

"Oh yeah," he said with a smirk, giving Jess's waist a squeeze as he did so. "Look Schmidt, you need to accept we're a couple now and, well, we are gonna do stuff. A lot of stuff."

"Yeah we are," Jess chimed as she pulled Nick into another crushing embrace.

"I give up. I cannot talk to you when you are like-like this!"

"Like what Schmidt?" Jess teased, wrapping her arms around Nick and nibbling his ear, "Like this?"

"Or like this?" Nick asked, as he lifted Jess up until she sat straddling him and began to kiss her, leaning her back over the table.

"Urgh," Schmidt grunted in revulsion, turning on his heel, and stormed off to his room.

Jess began to giggle uncontrollably as Nick nuzzled into her neck. "Hey Nick, do you think we were a bit mean?"

"Are you kidding?" he replied, lifting his head, "You do remember this is the same guy who would leave his weekly masturbation schedule on the refrigerator when you first moved in?"

"Fair point," she nodded as she wrapped her arms around his neck and shuffled a little closer. "Hey," she whispered into his ear, "All this is making me kinda – you know…"

Nick took his cue, quickly picking her up and hurrying to her room.

* * *

Letting out a throaty squeal, Jess wriggled against the door as Nick began to pull at her short black skirt, his lips tracing the outline of her jaw.

"Damn it Nick, why didn't we start doing this a long time ago?" she sighed breathlessly.

"Huh?" he mumbled into her throat, sending a delicious hum through her body.

"Us. This. It's so, ohh,"she moaned as he reached the soft skin of her neck, one hand cupping her cheek as the other pushed down her thick, wool tights. Hungrily she began to paw at the material of his shirt, just breaking part long enough to remove it and toss it behind them in the vague direction of her bed.

Nick swallowed and leaned his hand against the door, his face inches from hers. He licked his lips quickly, pulling his bottom lip in between his teeth as he looked her in the eye. "You have no idea how much I've wanted this."

Slipping her hands onto his now bare chest, she replied, "Yeah?"

"Yeah," he kissed her neck once more whilst pressing her hips against his – she could feel how much he wanted her, "For the longest time." He continued his trail of kisses as he slipped his hands under her shirt, peeling it slowly away.

"Really?" she asked as she pulled off her glasses and threw them onto her dresser, "Did you used to think about me?"

"A lot," he moaned as his lips and teeth nipped at the skin visible over the top of her lacy bra, "A lot a lot."

She broke into a wide grin as she worked at the zip of his khakis, "Tell me more."

"When you had guys in the loft, it drove me crazy…"

"Is that so?" She began to breathe heavily into his ear as she slipped her hands into his boxers, fingers digging into his butt.

"I had to put on loud music to block it out. I could hear you. It drove me crazy… You being just across hall. Doing stuff I always wanted to do with you. Naked."

"What else?" Pausing, she moved her hands to his waist and pushed him to the bed.

"You make all these noises. It's so freakin' hot. Little moans. It was hard to take. I wanted it to be me making you sound like that."

He reached his hands around her to unhook her bra, letting it drop to the floor and taking her breasts in his hands.

"Did you dream about me?" she asked, pulling him down onto the bed on top of her. He ran his hands roughly across her body and around the back of her waist, pushing it up to reach his mouth as he leaned down to lay a trail across her stomach.

"Yeah," he said in a whispery heaving was as he worked his way down to her panties. "So much. What I wanted to do to you, how I wanted to make you feel, how you'd look naked on my bed-"

"Damn," she cried when she felt his hands slip into the material of her underwear, pushing them to one side, slowly moving inside her. Moving back up her body, his tongue began to work small circles against her nipples, "Holy shit that's good."

"I dreamed about doing this to you," he continued, "And this." His mouth moved down to join his fingers, running against her bundle of nerves as her body began to twitch - legs shaking, toes curling.

A tickling, throbbing ache began to grow in her stomach as her vision blurred, narrowing to a small circle of clarity. Her eyes rolled back as the ache grew into a ball of pressure, she dug her hands into his hair, pulling a little too tightly as the tension spilled out of her, in cool shuddering waves. Her hands and toes clenched. A stream of soft expletives spilled from her mouth.

She lay back, catching her breath as he pulled himself up to her face. "I have a whole lot more material where that came from. Two years worth."

Her cheeks flushed and her hair ruffled, she smiled up at him, "Well, we better not waste any time. We've got a lot of catching up to do."

Then she pulled him back towards her, not wasting a second.

* * *

The loft was dark; just a small light marking the kitchen area and the flickering glow from the TV to illuminate the large, empty space. Jess was curled up on the sofa marking English papers, the TV tuned into the Nat Geo channel-they were having a special about turtles. She knew Nick had a thing for them so she was doing a little bit of research in between reading essays about the motivations of Oberon and Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream.  
Just after midnight, the loft door creaked open and Nick slipped in after his shift.

"Hey, I didn't think you'd be up?" He walked over to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water.

"Midterms for summer school," she explained, holding up a stack of papers. Damn, he thought, she looked so cute in the pink gown and glasses. She was the only girl he knew who looked genuinely hot in glasses. Like really hot.  
He slid over to the couch and sat next to her. "You look cute when you're working hard."

"Oh, do I?" she laughed, looking over her glasses at him.

"Yeah, well, just a little." He gestured a small amount with his thumb and forefinger.

"Hey!" She grabbed his hand and began to pull it towards her when the mood switched in and instant. Suddenly it became a hot mess of hands, and mouths and midterm papers strewn across the floor as she knocked the stack with her arms as she struggled to undo the soft cotton belt of her robe.

"Oh God you're so hot."

"No you are."

"No you are."

"Oh shut up!" He silenced their argument with kiss.

* * *

_A few minutes later... _

"Dial. Best friend. Number 2."

"Wassup?"

Schmidt was busy piling blankets and pillows against the gap at the base of his door, pressing them tight with his foot whilst holding his phone to his ear. "Can you hear them?"

"Who?"

"Who? Them. Nick and Jess. They are going at it like animals on our couch." He sat back on the edge of his bed and glared at the door menacingly.

"Dude, I'm at work. Remember, I work nightshift."

"Still – don't you care that they have soiled our seating area? Sullied the one spot in the loft where I can truly relax outside my own boudoir." A loud scream – he couldn't tell whose it was – filled the air, "You see? Disgusting."

"Well, I'm admittedly not thrilled, but Schmidt, how many times has your junk made contact with the couch? That kimono, man…"

"It is not the same. There will be," he lowered his voice to a whisper, "Bodily fluids."

"Okay Schmidt, I'm done."

"Wait, Winston, we need-"

The phone went dead and he tossed it to one side. Something needed to be done. And soon.


	2. Part Two

**Thanks again Ztofan - you are a fantastic editor!**

Running a finger along the countertop, he lifted it up to his eye line. Cake batter. There was only one loft occupant who could be responsible.

His eyes searched the kitchen - smudges and handprints in batter were smattered over the cabinets. In fact, the refrigerator held a mark that could only be described as a butt print. Schmidt shuddered.

Reaching into the cupboard under the sink, he pulled on a pair of yellow rubber gloves and began to scrub.

* * *

Nick rubbed his face onto her stomach, his stubble tickling her sensitive skin as she let out a pearl of throaty laughter. Lifting his head he caught her eye before he pressed his lips against her skin and blew.

"Stop! Stop! Truce!"

Smiling, he rolled onto his back and pushed himself up the bed until they were at equal heading and slipped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.  
"Do you know what tomorrow is?" he asked.

"Nooo," she replied hesitantly, placing her hand on his stomach.

"It's our two week anniversary."

"Of course." She snuggled into his warm chest and ran her lips across his jaw, "How could I forget such a momentous occasion?" she teased.

"I'll have you know that you have the honor of being only my fifth relationship to reach this important stage."

Jess pushed herself up onto her elbows and looked down at Nick.

"Seriously? I mean I thought that you, you know, had quite a lot of experience in the relationship area." Her thumb began to circle his navel and she felt him squirm a little at his touch.

"Relationships? Not really..." he shrugged.

A question popped into her mind and before she could think better of it, it spilled out of her mouth. "Nick how many woman have you been with?"His brow furrowed as he looked up at her, "Been with? Are we in some old time movie right now?"

She shoved his shoulder with her hand and he laughed, "Hey, don't laugh," her voice became a little quieter and she continued, "You know what I mean." She lowered her lashes and looked at him through their sooty veil. His eyes darted to her reddened lips - still bruised from the kisses - and he watched them twist and purse anxiously.

"Well, if you must know, it's, uh, twenty five. And a half."

"And a half?" she asked puzzled, before she shook her head, "Wait, I actually don't want to know."

She lay back against the pillow and stared up at the ceiling, plain except for a pale blue light shade suspended from its center. The room became quiet and she listened to Nick's soft breathing as she thought.

"Jess, are you okay?" he asked, slipping onto his side and moving his leg across her hips.

She fidgeted, pulling at the blanket that lay across her chest, her fingers rubbing the material between them, her eyes flashing from side to side.

"Jess," he repeated.

Rolling her head, she looked at him. "Nick, I didn't know that you had, well..." She swallowed. "I've not slept with anywhere near that number of people and..." She turned away and covered her face with her hands.

"Hey, hey Jessica." He began to pull her hands away from her face and tilted her chin to look at him. "That's all in the past. You have nothing to worry about."

She licked her lips. "Okay… But, I'm concerned about how I, you know, measure up. You have a lot of comparisons to make..."

"Okay, now you're being dumb. You are the most unbelievably sweet, sexy," she blushed, "Hot, amazing, beautiful, intelligent woman I have ever been with. Nothin' else matters."

"But surely you must, you know, compare…"

He slipped his hand underneath her head, cradling it and looked straight into her eyes. "There is no comparison. With you, it's different. It's amazing and new and better than anything I could ever have imagined. I promise."

"Awww," she said, biting her knuckle as she smiled.

"Honestly Jess, this all feels like a dream. I'm in no hurry to wake up."

She circled her arms around his neck as he leaned in for another slow, toe-curling kiss. "For someone who doesn't like to share how he's feeling, you've got some way with words, Miller." She reached up and pulled something from his hair. "Cake batter," she smiled.

"Mmm, that was fun. I'll never look at a cupcake the same way again."

Then he pulled her back towards him and her laugh echoed across the room.

* * *

The smell of pine cleaner filled the loft as Schmidt wiped away the last smudge of cupcake batter from the kitchen floor. He sighed in self-satisfaction as he pulled off the gloves and tossed them into the sink.

"Heathens," he muttered as he pulled out a cup and began to prepare his Indonesian peppermint tea. This was the second time that week he had had to clean up after them.

"Hey Schmidty - save the hot water," Nick appeared in the hallway, holding up his hand in a halting gesture.

"Nick," he began, "What are you wearing?"

Reaching the kitchen, Nick retrieved two cups and looked down at himself. "Shorts."

"Yes Nicholas, but whose shorts?"

He shrugged, "Jess's."

The small red shorts barely covered twelve inches of his body. Schmidt shook his head as he poured boiling water into his cup. "I can see your pooch, Nick. And is that-? Is that the outline of your junk? Eww." He placed down the kettle. "Can you not see what she is doing to you? First you are wearing her clothes, next she goes shopping for you and finally you will be dressing in matching outfits!"

Turning, Nick pulled his face into a frown. "And how many times have you tried to change my clothes, Schmidt?" Putting his hands on his hips, Nick squared up to his friend. "Can you not just be happy for me, for once? For the first time in a long time things are working out for me. I got the girl. And she's great."

They were silent as Schmidt sipped his peppermint tea and Nick prepared a cup of coffee for himself and Earl Grey for Jess. The sound of a door slamming was followed by a yawning Winston heading towards them.

"Winston. Winston. WINSTON!" Schmidt's voice escalated until Nick winced at the volume.

"Huh?" said Winston, pulling out an earplug from his left ear, "Why are you shouting?"

"Winnie - why are you wearing earplugs?" asked Nick, puzzled.

He pulled out the other earplug before reaching into the fridge and selecting a carton of orange juice. "Cos you and Jess are loud, Nick. Real loud. Like loud with a capital L, loud."

"See, Nick? You see what your relationship is doing to us? Poor Winston can't even sleep..."

Nick picked up the two cups and turned to Schmidt. "Look, you need to get over this. You are not going to stop this thing between me and Jess. So you may as well stop complaining and get used to it."

"Nick, Nick..." Schmidt cried as Nick stomped back to Jess's room.

"Winston, we need to work quickly. The loft dynamic is slipping. I feel like I'm losing my best friend."

"Hey, what about me?" Winston objected as he swallowed his juice.

"You know you're my standby Winston. And you are my number one friend of color," he said with a wink. "Help me fix this."

Winston shrugged and nodded, "Fine, What do you have in mind?"

* * *

The loft was quiet when they arrived back. It was late. Their date had been extended when they had decided to go for a walk after dinner. They'd laughed, kissed and talked.

"I wonder where Schmidt is? He's usually hanging around to harass us after a date." She shrugged off her coat and hung it up.

"I think he's still pretty pissed off," Nick replied as they stepped into the living area.

"He'll get over it," she smiled as she pulled him close. "Come on, we need to finish celebrating, if you catch my meaning," she winked.

She took his hand and started pulling him in the direction of their bedrooms. Suddenly she stopped and turned to him. "Um, Nick, where are our doors?"

Frowning, Nick looked ahead. His mouth dropped in surprise. The doors to both of their bedrooms had been removed and only the hinges remained, hanging sadly from the doorframe. Scowling, he turned on his heel and stormed to Schmidt's room. He banged on the door with his fist, "Schmidt! Open the door!"

Slowly, the door opened and Schmidt stood; a smug smile on his face, his arms crossed.

"Which one?" he smiled, opening the door a little further and gesturing to the two disembodied doors perched against the wall.

"You idiot! What are you thinking?" The furrow in between his brows increased as he took a deep breath.

"Yeah Schmidt, you took our doors? Seriously?" Jess stood beside Nick, her mouth pursed.

Schmidt began to inspect his nails as he replied, "I warned you and you didn't listen. I had to take action. This, this – thing is causing so many problems. I keep finding evidence of your activities, Winston and I can barely think over the noise..."

"Oh my God Schmidt! It's not like we are doing it every second of the day!" Jess cried.

Nick turned to Jess, "Can you give us a minute?" She nodded and sighed before heading to her now door-less room.

"Look pal," he placed his hand on Schmidt's shoulder, "This has got to stop. It's getting ridiculous."

"I needed to make a point."

"Fine, well you have. So give me the doors." Schmidt pulled his door to behind him and stepped in front of Nick.

"No Nick. I'm not giving you the doors back until you sign the oath. The madness has to stop."

Nick threw up his hands in frustration, "Seriously, you're still going on about that? It is not going to happen."

"Why are you being so selfish Nick? Can't you see that there are two other people who live in this loft!"

Nick rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, "As far as I see it, you are the only one who has a problem with me and Jess. And maybe that has more to with your personal life than it has to do with what we may, or may not, be doing."

"Wh, wh- whaaaat? No, no. That's ridiculous. Whatever is going on in my life right not is completely separate from this-this mess!"

"Oh, we're a mess," Nick began to clap slowly, "Congratulations on being the most clueless guy I know!"

"You know, I have no idea why we are friends sometimes! You are selfish, uncaring, have very poor personal hygiene-"

"You know what, if you have such a big problem with me and Jess why don't you just move out?"

"Well maybe I will," Schmidt replied petulantly.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Nick scoffed as he stormed away.

* * *

Jess lay sprawled out on her bed, a pillow clutched to her stomach, when he walked in.

"He's still being an idiot. I'll go get the doors when he's at work tomorrow. Sorry," he gave her a twisted smile.

"Kinda ruined our plans…" she sighed, sitting up.

Nick's thoughts drifted off as she spoke, an idea forming in his head.

"Maybe not. Wait here, give me 30 minutes."

"Okay," she replied with an amused smile, wondering what he had up his sleeve.

* * *

She pulled on a cardigan as she headed to the roof when the text message arrived from Nick. "Nick, where are you?"

He appeared from around the corner with his hands in his pockets. "Close your eyes," he told her.

"Okay," she replied uncertainly, placing her palms over her eyes.

He guided her a few feet before pushing away her hands. "Welcome to the penthouse suite."

There, on the roof, he'd placed a tent – the one Schmidt had bought the week he decided to start camping. With a smile, she pushed back the opening and dipped down to step inside. Crawling inside, she pushed off her shoes. The air mattress they kept in the laundry room was there, along with a selection of pillows and blankets and a storm lantern that she recognized from a blackout last year.

"Wow, fancy!"

Settling in beside her at the foot of the mattress Nick pointed to one corner, "Here you see we have the living area, fully equipped with cushions and pillows." He pulled a cooler from behind him, "And as you can see there is a fully equipped mini bar with all your beverage needs." Leaning forward, he patted the mattress, "And here we have the finest, rubberized air-filled mattress your dollar can buy."

"What more could a girl ask for," she smiled, leaning in for a kiss and pulling him onto the makeshift bed. The plastic groaned and squeaked in protest as they shuffled up the bed, the shifting weight of their bodies making the mattress shake from side to side.

"Hmm," she laughed, "You know I've never had sex in a tent, uh, penthouse before."  
"Is that so?" he replied. "Well we need to fix that…"

He began to slip the sweater over her shoulders and he reached down to kiss her slowly. The air was chilly and he pulled a blanket over them as she hooked her leg around his and tugged at his shirt. The air began to warm in the small space as they shed their clothes, their body heat and breathing turning up the temperature.

Soon there was nothing between them but a slick of sweat. "God you're amazing," he told her as ran his hands up and down her body, "I still can't believe this is happening."

She giggled and pulled him up to face her, "You're crazy."

"You're fantastic," he quipped back, his eyes darting around the delicate features of her face. He settled on top of her, his body pushing her into the mattress so its ends bowed slightly beside them. "I mean it. I've never met anyone like you before."

Biting her lip she stared up at her roommate-slash-boyfriend and wanted to pinch herself. "And I've never met anyone like you. Now come here and make me regret not getting things started between us months ago."

"As you wish," he whispered, his mouth heading straight for her neck while his hands continued to roam, eliciting soft moans and whispers from her.

She let him continue, seemingly covering every acre of her bare flesh with his touch until she could take it no more; she breathed heavily, whispering in his ear, "Make love to me."

He caught her eye and saw something unfamiliar, a glint of something different. Something he liked. Gently pushing her legs apart, he leaned into her ear and repeated, "As you wish."

* * *

The morning light filtered thought the blue material of the tent, casting an unnatural hue on its occupants. Her back creaked; it was now lying on the cold hard floor. The mattress, not up to the exertions of earlier, had spent the night slowly deflating.

She looked down at Nick. He was lying halfway down the bed, his arm slung lazily across her waist, his face half buried in the blanket they lay on. His bed head and stubbled face, combined with the half smile he was wearing, gave him an endearing quality. She reached out and ran her fingers though his hair.

Everything was happening so fast. She had no idea still what this really was. But she knew she liked it. A lot.

And no one, especially not Schmidt, was going to ruin it.


	3. Part Three

Turning the screwdriver one last time, Nick shook the door to test his handiwork. His room once again had privacy. He gathered his tools into the large metal box they were kept in and stood up. His back creaked painfully. Sleeping on a deflated air mattress was not great for your body it seemed. But it was worth it. Hell yes it had been worth it.

"Nick, you know where the TV remote is?" came Winston's voice from the living room. Setting the toolbox back down he turned the corner to find him slumped on the couch, his tie half undone and his jacket tossed to one side.

"Another hard day at work pal?" Nick smiled as he dug under the cushions at the back of the couch, finally pulling out the remote and tossing it to him.

"Same old same old," Winston replied as he clicked on the television. "Time for some TV to wind down before my nap."

Nick sat down on the edge of the couch and turned to his friend, "Hey, Winnie. Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Do you have a problem with me and Jess?" The words flooded out of his mouth quickly, in one fluid stream.

Winston narrowed his eyes at the other man, "Seriously? No man. I know you're happy."

Nick sighed in relief, "I am. I am happy. It's weird." He frowned before continuing, "So why did you help Schmidt last night?" Winston looked at him in surprise, "I know it was you. Schmidt wouldn't have a clue how to take a door off without some help."

"I'm sorry. You know what I'm like with pranks and stuff. I get a bit carried away."

"Yeah you do," Nick laughed.

"Look. You're my oldest friend and Jess is a great girl. I'm happy for you. Schmidt will get over it. Eventually."

"Yeah, eventually," Nick repeated as settled back into the couch.

* * *

"Hey Nick, can you help me?"

Jess's voice echoed down the hallway from the laundry room to where Nick lay on his bed making his annual attempt to read War and Peace. He'd never gotten past the fifteenth page before but this time he was sure he could make it to at least twenty.

"Just a minute," he replied as he jumped up and tossed the book onto his nightstand.

He walked into the laundry room and was instantly assaulted by the smell of detergent and those scented dryer sheets Jess used. It was a comforting smell that reminded him of her bed – it always smelled so damn good and clean.

Jess stood, bent over the dryer, her butt sticking in the air as she dug around inside. She was wearing a ridiculously tiny pair of shorts that left little to the imagination and he felt himself begin to harden instantly.

"Um, Jess?"

"Hey Nick," Jess beamed at him as she turned around. He swallowed when he saw her mussed up hair and the way her t-shirt hugged the curve of her breasts. Did she realize what she did to him when she dressed like this? "Can you help me? My bra is stuck in the dryer and I can't work out how to get it out."

"Sure," he replied as he slid past her, getting a whiff of her fruity shampoo as he did so. He adjusted the waistband of his jeans to make himself a little more comfortable. Looking down into the dryer he saw a barely there blue and white lace bra that he recognized from some very interesting time spent in the back of his car the week before. It was hooked firmly into one of the holes in the machine's drum. He tried tugging and twisting it before giving up and turning to Jess, who now stood mere inches away from him. Her minty, toothpaste-scented breath was warm and light on his neck. "I'm going to have to rip it."

She sighed in response, "Fine. But that was one of my favorites. I guess I'm going to have to take a trip to Victoria's Secret again soon." She glanced at him flirtatiously as she spoke, watching the muscles of his back twist and strain through his t-shirt as he tugged on the trapped garment.

With one final tug there was a rip and a pinging noise before Nick was left holding a shredded scrap of material in his hands. "There you go," he said as he handed it to her.

She licked her lips as she looked up at him, letting the bra drop to the laundry basket on the floor. Nick was standing with his back to the dryer now, his hands on his hips. He looked damn good. All solid and just the right amount of scruffyness. They were quiet for a moment as she rocked back and forth on her toes, feeling a trickle of desire inside her start to turn to a flood inside.

"Hey," she whispered breathily into his ear, placing a hand on his chest as she leaned into him. "Did I ever tell you that I find the smell of laundry detergent like seriously hot?"

His mouth turned down into a turtle face as he shook his head and rested his hands on the dryer behind him. "No. Please tell me more."

Jess slid her tongue across the edge of her teeth, tilting her head as she replied. "Well you see, when I was kid, the only quiet room in the house when my parents were arguing was the garage, where the dryer was kept - it always seemed to be on, my mom was obsessed with laundry. So I used to take my copy of whatever Bronte sister novel I was into at that time out there and sit on the dryer to read. I always used to wonder why 18th century English literature made me feel so-" she paused and reached out a hand to grasp the hardness currently expanding in his jeans, "-twirly." He groaned appreciatively as her fingers tightened.

"And here's me thinking you were little miss innocent…"

She let out a slight throaty chuckle as she pushed the door shoot, propping the ironing board against the handle to secure it closed.

There was a crackle of electricity across the space between them before they both rushed towards each other, covering the distance in seconds. His mouth found hers as his hands moved straight to the zipper closing her shorts, tugging it down impatiently until she shook her hips and kicked them away.

She dug one hand into his hair as the other worked at his jeans. He had already moved on, his fingers sliding under her shirt and slipping quickly into the bra, cupping her breasts and teasing her nipples, rolling them between his fingers. Half undressed, he began to move Jess back towards the dryer. Quickly, he picked her up and lifted her onto it, in the same movement pulling down her panties and keeping his lips working their way down her neck.

"Oh," she cried when she felt his hand move up her thigh, finally pausing teasingly close to where she wanted it, "Nick," she growled into his ear.

Laughing, he brought his lips to her mouth, "Just teasing," he smiled. He slipped his fingers easily in her, "Damn, you're wet. Laundry really does turn you on."

She pulled back and looked at him with wide, dilated eyes, "I can't lie- ohh," Taking in a deep breath, she dug her hands into his shoulders before taking his bottom lip between her teeth and tugging it, "Mmmmmmmmmmmm, you have magic fingers Nicholas."

"So I've been told. But I can do better than that…"

Suddenly he pulled her forward to the edge of the dryer. Before she could react, he pushed into her - enjoying watching her eyes roll back as he did. Tightly she wrapped her legs around his waist as he started to quickly thrust his hips. "One more thing-" Reaching behind her he turned the dial of the dryer and it began to hum and buzz to life. A delicious rumbling spread up through her body as the dryer shook and Nick pushed deeper and deeper. She shuffled forward, getting as close as she possibly could, enjoying the friction against her most sensitive spot as their hips rocked against one another.

She began to mumble into his chest, cries of 'oh God', 'please', 'oh' interspaced with other unintelligible words. He felt his body flush with heat. "Shit you are so hot Jess," he thrust into her harder, enjoying her moans, "I love it when you talk when we have sex."

Shaking a little she brought her lips to his ear, "Fuck me Miller, fuck me like your life depended on it."

Hearing those words come out of her sweet mouth flicked something inside of him. Hungrily, he attacked her mouth with his own; he slipped a hand between them to rub her clit as he slid against her, both their bodies sweaty and burning up.

Finally, they peaked. It became too much and she gave into her body's rising crescendo of desire, enjoying the tingling waves of electricity that flooded her as he finally stopped moving with one last thrust and they both collapsed against the cool metal of the dryer.

After a few moments of blissful silence he raised his head and rested his chin on her stomach. "You are full of surprises, Jessica."

"You ain't seen the half of it yet, Miller," she replied with a wink.

* * *

"Nicholas," Schmidt nodded curtly as he entered the loft. It was the first time the two men had crossed paths since their argument the evening before.

"Schmidt," Nick replied as he pulled a soda out of the fridge. He cracked open the can as Schmidt crossed the floor to his room, the click of his Italian leather brogues echoing around the large space. Reaching the door he turned and looked at Nick.

"Okay. Look, I'm sorry for the doors thing. I was hormonal and this thing with Cece…" He looked down and ran a hand across his face. "We cool bro?"

Nick really wanted to get angry and shout but he saw the pain in his friend's eyes and in that moment he felt sorry for him. At least he had Jess. All Schmidt had was two very angry women who refused to talk to him. "Yeah man."

"Okay." Schmidt gave him a large smile as he slipped into his room.

* * *

Jess giggled as she snuggled against the pillow, "I've got to say I was mighty pleased to see Paradise Nick make a return."

"Well, he loved Mexico but he realized that perhaps becoming a small game hunter was not the best life strategy." She laughed as she hugged into him.

Around them was a roughly made canopy of blankets held up with a couple of brooms and a mop. Nick had pushed his bed back against the wall and a cooler full of orange soda was beside them alongside Jess's CD player which was quietly playing some mariachi band music.

"Well I hope he sticks around because he is soooo much chiller than LA Nick." She rolled onto her stomach, wrapping a blanket around her body to cover her nakedness.

"I think he will," he smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear, "He's really enjoying having sex without the getting sand in his junk."

"Okay, while you think about that and get yourself ready for round two," she gave him a wink, "I need to get a glass of water."

She was gone a few moments before she returned with a piece of paper in her hand. "Um, Nick, you should see this."

"What?" he asked puzzled, sitting up. Quietly she handed in the paper and Nick felt a scowl form over his lips. "Schmidt."

It was the 'As long as your nailing' oath that he had tried to make them sign, this time typed, bold in large letters with the title – 'For the attention of all roommates'.

"Yeah. There are at least ten stuck all around the loft. This was on my door. I thought you'd sorted things out?"

"So did I," he replied, shaking his head. "Look, I'll fix it. I'm not going to let him try and cause trouble between us. I think he's acting out his frustrations on us. I think he is jealous. You know he said the other day that he'd never seen me this happy before."

"Aww, really?" Jess cooed as she sat next to him on the floor.

"Yeah," he admitted coyly.

"Do I make you happy Miller?" she teased.

"Well…" he twisted his face before breaking into a smile, "You know you do, you crazy woman. Now come here, I'm not done with you yet."

She squealed as he pulled her towards him, silencing her with his lips.

* * *

The knock on the door startled Schmidt and the scissors in his hand slipped, causing him to take a large chunk of miniature foliage from his bonsai tree. "Damn it!" he muttered, flinging them down in disgust, "Come in."

Nick slipped inside, in his hands a sheath of paper. "We need to talk."

"Oh, you noticed my work."

"Yeah I noticed," Nick snapped, tossing them onto Schmidt's bed. "This has to stop. Now. It's gone way past annoying and slid right into pissing me off."

Slowly Schmidt stood so he was eye to eye with Nick. "No Nick, this will only stop when you to stop. Do you know I found a pair of your underwear in the oven yesterday. The oven? Seriously? I had to use a whole can of cleaner before I could even look at it without feeling sick."

Nick let out a slow sigh, "Okay, sorry about that – I can see how that might bother you. But Jess and I? We're a couple now and I'm not going to let you or anyone else tell me how to run my relationship."

"A relationship? Really Nick? You seriously think this is going to last?"

"And why wouldn't it?" Nick retorted, crossing his arms and furrowing his brow as he spoke.

Schmidt scoffed, "You don't exactly have the best track record in this arena Nicholas…"

"Well this time it's different and-" he paused as something occurred to him. "Wait, wait I get it. You like it when my life is going bad. You like seeing me unhappy and miserable and generally failing at things. You like it because it makes you feel better about yourself."

"That is ridiculous-"

"No, that's it," he chuckled, "I don't know why it took me so long to figure it out. You like looking down on me – ever since you lost weight. I'm like a barometer for you of how crappy life can get, and as long as you're above me then you feel good about yourself."

Schmidt glared at his friend as he continued to talk.

"I've never heard anything so stupid in my life."

"You like looking down on me. You like it when I mess up. Well, time's up on that one pal. I'm not messing this one up. It's too important to me."

"More important than our friendship?"

Nick locked eyes with his friend and swallowed, "Yeah," he replied softly.

"Huh," Schmidt huffed, lowering himself to sit on the crisp linen of his bed. "I never thought I'd see the day that a woman would come between me and my best friend."

"Look she's not coming between us, I-"

Schmidt looked up, "No Nick, she is. So now there's only one thing left to do. I'm moving out."

"What? Why would you do that?"

"Eleven years, Nick. Eleven years we've seen each other through thick and thin. No matter how crazy things got you were there for me. Nick and Schmidt. You've always had my back. But now I see things have changed and it's time for me to move on."

"Okay, you're definitely overreacting now…You're still my best friend."

"Best friends are put first Nick."

"That's not fair."

"So you are choosing her over me?"

Nick pursed his mouth as he thought. "I'm not choosing her over anyone. I'm with her because I care about her. And you are my friend because I care about you – even if you can be a complete idiot."

"I think you've made your choice, Nick. Would you mind leaving now and closing the door? I would like to be alone."

"Schmidt-"

Schmidt glared at his friend and Nick gave up, backing out of the room and pulling the door shut as he left.

He shook his head as he walked back to his room – clearly he wasn't serious. He was just being his usual overly dramatic Schmidt.

Walking inside he smiled as he saw Jess had curled up on his bed reading a book. She didn't notice him at first so he took a second to admire her. Damn she was beautiful. He felt a smile tug at his lips. Yeah, she made him happy. So happy it actually hurt.


	4. Part Four

**Once again, thank you Ztofan. Without you I am lost ;)**

"What is that noise?" Jess yawned as she stretched out on Nick's bed and wriggled her toes.

From the hallway there came the sound of something heavy being dragged across the floor – a swishing, scratching sound, like sand paper against a hard surface. Lazily, Nick stood and tramped to the door, opening it slowly and stepping outside.

"What the – Schmidt?!"

His panicked cry shook Jess from her sleepiness and she jumped up, quickly wrapping herself in her soft pink robe. In the hallway she saw a large stack of brown packing boxes neatly arranged alongside several designer suitcases. She shook her head, taking a moment to process this scene until she saw Schmidt emerge from his room carrying a tall, steel-grey lamp with a laptop bag slung over his shoulder.

"Oh, hello there, sexual deviants. I see you've noticed my belongings are boxed and ready for the move."

"The move?" Jess asked as she arrived at Nick's side, dropping her head to lie on his right arm.

Schmidt set down the lamp next to the stack of boxes and addressed her with a large smile- verging on that of a Cheshire cat. "Why yes, Jessica. I've found a sublet. 3A are moving to Ohio so I have a one bedroom with my name on it."

Rubbing her eyes, she turned to look at Nick. "Wait – you were serious?"

"Like starving orphans in Venezuela serious."

Chuckling, Nick walked over to his friend and laid a hand on his shoulder, "Okay Schmidty, you made your point. We get it – you're pissed. So now let's get rid of these fake boxes and talk this out."

With a smile back at Jess, Nick went to pick up one of the boxes. Expecting it to be empty, he grimaced as he tried to lift it. Puzzled, he pulled open the top of the box, only to find it filled with Schmidt's collection of self-help books. "Huh," he mumbled as he tore into another box, then another until he paused and gave Schmidt a confused look. "This isn't a joke?"

"Me, joke? About something like this?" he stared at Nick seriously. The seconds ticked by until there was a knock at the door. "Ah, that will be my moving team. Excuse me."

Stalking away to the door he left the couple to stare at each other open mouthed.

"Is he-" Jess began.

"I think so," Nick replied.

* * *

Two hours later and he was gone. A small team of overall-wearing movers had trooped into 4D and left carrying boxes, furniture and potted plants. Nick and Jess had sat on the sofa and drank steaming cups of tea and coffee, all the while not believing what they were watching.

"Hey – am I hallucinating?" Jess asked. In response Nick reached out and pinched the fleshy skin of her upper arm. "Ouch! Nick!"

He gave her an apologetic glance and shoulder shrug and shook his head. "I can't believe it."

"I know," she replied, "All those times he threatened to move out and now he is. I'm finding this hard to process."

Nick set his mug down and laid an arm over her shoulder, "You know Schmidt. Give him a day or two and he'll be back. He likes these grand  
gestures. Remember when he started wearing that hazmat suit he bought on eBay? All because he didn't like my new cologne-"

"It was pretty bad, Nick," she whispered.

"But that's not the point. The point is, he doesn't do things small. When he lost weight he paid for a full page ad in the college newspaper. He even set up a website – . Trust me. This is typical him. He'll be back before you know it and things will go back to how they were."

Sighing, she rubbed her head against his chest, "If you say so," she said disbelievingly.

* * *

"It's so quiet."

Jess silently sipped her glass of rose as a movie flickered away on the television, casting shadows around the darkened loft.

"Yeah. It's weird."

It had been 12 hours since Schmidt had departed for apartment 3A and every passing hour had deflated a little further Nick's belief that this was just a phase. Secretly, he was worried.

"Where's Winston?"

"Work?" Nick suggested, downing the rest of his beer.

"Hmm, interesting," Jess mused.

"Okay, spit it out."

"What?" she replied with a shrug and a sly smile.

He ran a hand through his ruffled hair and leaned closer. She could smell an intoxicating mix of laundry soap and Old Spice (since when was that a turn on?).

"Jessica, I think I know when you're making some little plan."

Her mouth broke out into a wide smile and she dug her hands into the soft flannel of his shirt. "Well, we have the place to ourselves so…"

"Sofa sex?"

She shook her head.

"Shower sex?"

She sighed.

"Well we've done the laundry room, the kitchen…"

Licking her lips she leaned in close and whispered into his ear, "Hallway. Against the wall. You and me."

Swallowing, his eyes darted from her eyes to her mouth. His eyebrows rose questioningly as he felt his heart begin to race in a slightly irregular thud, picking up pace as he held his breath.

A smile danced on her lips as she watched the recognition of what she had said flash over his eyes. She counted the seconds: one, two, three – until he let out a deep breath and lunged for her mouth. She stifled a giggle as all at once his hands and lips ravished her body – her mouth and her neck smothered by him as his warm hands wound their way around her tiny waist, lifting up the thin material of her shirt as she sighed in satisfaction.

The sensation of his lips against her stomach made something inside her lurch sideways. It was like a little ripple of the muscles inside her body, beckoning him closer. Impatiently, she tugged on his hair and pulled him back up her body. His hands firmly grasped her sides as his mouth found her's again and seconds later she was in the air. Her legs hooked around his waist and she could feel him digging into her.

"Mmmm," she groaned into his mouth as they moved quickly towards the hall.

Seconds later he released her; setting her down against the cool matte paint of the hallway between their rooms So many damn memories this place held… But she pushed this aside – now was an opportunity to fulfill a fantasy.

"I've wanted this for so long," she panted as he clawed at her shorts and tights. Damn, why hadn't she worn something simple? Leisurely, she pressed her back against the wall as he slipped the buttons of her shorts undone and pulled them over her legs, following their descent with a trail of damp kisses. "That night after Beso? I wanted this…I wanted you…"

He felt his stomach flip at her confessions. He didn't waste any time. She let out a high pitched 'huh' as he worked his way back up, pressing his lips against her panties as he did, rubbing his tongue against her clit. She swore her legs were going to buckle, but thankfully his hands found her hips and she relaxed into his firm grip.

Freedom. Real freedom. No fear of roommates appearing. She wriggled out of her shirt between kisses and caught his glance. That smile. Wow. Her heart skipped. The way he looked at her, just, wow. It took her breath away. Desire began to flood her veins, as though a dam of emotion had been annihilated with that look, his touch.

It took seconds to pull away enough clothes, just enough, to make her gasp as he slipped a finger inside of her. She sank into his touch – her brow furrowing as waves of impatience rippled out. "Nick, stop fucking around."

He leant back and caught her eye. It was one of those times, clearly, when foreplay was not in the cards. Damn – he needed to learn to read her better. But he took his orders and kicked off his jeans and underwear before cupping her butt with his hands.

Gasping, she wriggled against him until she felt him slide slickly inside of her. Her eyes fluttered closed at the sensation. It was so damn good; really. How, why… She didn't have time to think as a moment later he began to grind against her, pressing her against the wall and rubbing deliciously against her. She felt his fingers dig into her which only served to heighten her sensations. The feel of his lips against her neck was cool, painful yet spine-tinglingly amazing. Oh God, it was too much to process. Too damn much… And she was lost.

* * *

When she woke, she stretched out her hand. But the space beside her was empty.

Picking up her phone she saw the time; five am. This was not a normal Miller waking time. Worried, she slipped out of her room. Across the living room she saw a slither of light. She knew it came from Schmidt's room and quietly she tip-toed in that direction.

There she saw him. He was sat on the bare, wooden floor of the room. In his hands he held something. She stepped closer. He turned when he  
heard the floorboards creak beneath her weight.

"Oh, hey," he smiled.

She approached and sank to the floor next to him. In his hand was a picture, an old one – it looked like a college snap, of him and Schmidt. They both smiled. Their arms around each other.

"He left this," he noted sadly.

"Nick, I-"

"It's okay Jess, you know what I said. It's just a phase."

She took the lacquered frame from his hands and laid it on the floor, shuffling closer so she could grasp his now empty arms.

"You need to fix this," she told him, catching his eyes in a steely blue gaze.

He sighed and shrugged, "I don't know how…"

"Nick, he's your best friend. And he's weird. And he can be a complete jerk at times, but that's why we love him. There would be no you and me without him."

He digested her words. She was right. For all his faults, he was still his best friend.

"But how, he's so damn stubborn…"

Reaching across she cupped his cheek, "You know, you and him aren't that different. You both don't like change. But that's tough because life changes all the time and there's nothing you can do about it. But true friendship? That lasts a lifetime." She reached over and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Nick, I'm having an amazing time. But never, in a million years, do I want to come between you and one of your best friends."

As they sat in the cold, empty room, he realized how much this girl meant to him. Sure, he felt this magnetic attraction. But it was more than that. He couldn't imagine his life without her. And he knew what she said was true.

"You're right," he said, scooping his arm around her shoulder, "I've got to fix this."


	5. Part Five

"Thanks Bob," Nick smiled as his co-worker slid a cool bottle of Heisler across the bar. He knocked back a swig, letting the amber bubbles roll over his tongue before he swallowed. Quietly he waited, picking at the edge of the bottle's red paper label. It slipped away easily - soft with condensation - whilst scenarios ran through his mind.

_Schmidt we need you, who will steam clean the oven?_

_We can't afford the rent without you man…_

_Schmidt, I'm sorry, we'll be more considerate._

_Stop being a ninny and come home!_

"Hello Nicholas."

He glanced to his left to see Schmidt sliding onto the stool beside him. Tossing his briefcase on the bar in front, he lifted his hand to Bob, "One beer please, barkeep"

"You're looking well, Schmidt."

"Why thank you, Nicholas," he replied as he picked up the bottle Bob placed in front of him, "I had my best night of sleep in weeks last night. Weeks." He smiled wryly before took a drink of his beer.

Nick shifted awkwardly in his seat and cleared his throat, "Okay, I get your point, Schmidty. Things may have gotten a bit heated-"

"Heated? Being around you two was like being at feeding time at the zoo. The way you slobber over each other and the noises-"

"Okay, I get it. You've made your point Schmidt." Nick pinched his mouth closed and took a deep breath. He ran his tongue across his lips before he began again, "Look, I asked to see you because this needs to end."

"What? My seeking independence? Or the fact that you three numbnuts finally have to work out how to pay the utility bills by yourselves?"

"I mean, _this _man." Nick clasped his hands together on the bar in front of him. "Schmidt, we miss you. The loft is not the same. We want you back."

Schmidt scoffed and took a long sip from his dark glass bottle, "We? We? Does that include your old lady? Or should I say the woman you picked over your best friend?"

"Urgh, I just cannot with you Schmidt." Standing up, he slammed his bottle onto the hard surface of the bar, "Why can't you just accept that I'm happy? That I love Jess and-"

"Wait? You love her?"

Nick's eyes bugged out at the realization of what he had just said. His mouth began to form soundless words. "Um, well… I, er…" A cold sweat began to coat his forehead and he began rub his palms nervously against his pants.

"Hey man, it's cool. I get it. Go - be with the woman you _love. _Next thing you two lovebirds will be picking out china patterns and –"

"I swear to God, if you don't stop-"

The two men stared at each other, jaws clenched. The emptiness of the bar became more apparent as the final bars of Rocket Man faded away and were replaced by a slow ballad.

"Stop trying to get into my head! Look, we want you back, but you need to understand, Jess and me? We are a thing. A really strong thing. Don't make me choose. I can't."

With that, he turned away from the bar and left. Schmidt watched him go, an unsettled feeling beginning to grow in his stomach.

* * *

It was dark when Schmidt left the bar. He'd sat for over an hour brooding over his Heisler, engaging the occasional stray customer in conversation and mulling over the last few weeks. He was beginning to forget how all this started in the first place.

He paused in the lobby of the apartment building and slid his key into the mailbox labelled 3A. The box was empty save for a few pizza menus, which he quickly dropped in the nearby trashcan. Sighing, he reached for the elevator button just as Winston appeared through the lobby's glass doors.

"Hey," Winston nodded as he stood to wait beside him. "How's the new place?"

"Um, great. Great. Really quiet."

"Cool. I'm sad you've gone man."

The elevator doors slid open and they both stepped inside.

"I had to make a stand Winston."

"I guess you did. Want to come up? Watch some True Blood or somthin'?"

Schmidt hesitated, wavering over the choice before he shook his head. "Nah, better get an early night. Training in the morning and all that."

"Alright," Winston began as the elevator slowed to a halt at the third floor, "Open invitation. Any time."

Schmidt stepped off into the hallway of the third floor and turned to look at his friend, "Appreciate that man." He smiled and turned to his new apartment as the doors slowly closed.

Inside he dropped his briefcase and surveyed his dark and bare surroundings.

It was so quiet.

So very, very quiet.

* * *

Thirty five minutes later, Schmidt was stood outside of apartment 4D. Softly he wrapped his knuckles against the door. Straightening up, he mentally rehearsed his speech.

_Hey guys, could I come use your wifi? Mine isn't set up yet and I have this important presentation to finish…_

He adjusted the laptop under his arm, and smoothed his shirt as he heard footsteps.

The tear-stained face of Jessica Day appeared as the door swung open - blotchy, pink-skinned, shiny. Instantly, his plan was forgotten. Her brown curls were ruffled and messy; her simple blue cotton dress creased and wrinkled.

"Oh, it's you," she sniffed.

"Jess, what's-"

"_What's wrong_ Schmidt?" she cried, swallowing a sob, "What's wrong is that you got your wish. Congratulations. We broke up." She squeezed her eyes closed, turned around and walked away. Hesitantly, he followed her, pushing the door closed behind him.

He found her curled into a ball on the couch, a blanket pulled over her body as she resumed her soft sobs. Cautiously he sat next to her, silent, as he decided what to say.

"Jess, please tell me what happened."

She brought her knees closer to her chest, her voice shuddering a little as spoke, "Whatever you said to him tonight - well this time it worked. When he came home," she paused to wipe a trail of tears from her cheek with the back of her hand, "I asked him if he would go to Ikea with me tomorrow to get some things for the loft, you know, since you took most of the kitchen supplies."

"They _are_ mine," Schmidt interjected softly until he was silenced by a sharp look from Jess.

"The next thing I knew he was ranting about china patterns and moving too fast and that you were right-"

She continued rambling in between raspy cries but he wasn't listening. His stomach dropped at her words – _you were right. _His mind was working overtime, trying to process this feeling. Wait – was it, guilt?

"You're probably overreacting Jess, I mean, are you sure he wasn't drunk-"

Jess shifted into a seating position and pulled the blanket around her shoulders, "No Schmidt, I'm sure. He full on freaked out and did a classic Nick Miller. You know, ran away. Panic moonwalked right out the door." He looked at her red eyes and nose – shiny from the effort of crying and felt the guilt in his stomach harden into a ball of self-loathing.

"But Jess, I mean, today, when I saw him, well he-" he stopped.

"What?" she spat out impatiently.

"Um, well-"

He hated seeing a woman cry. It spoke to something deep down inside – memories of his mother when his father had left - weeping into a bottle of gin, late at night when she thought he was in bed. When she fell asleep on the couch, he would cover her in a blanket, switch off the TV and gather up the tissues filled with her tears and throw them in the trash.

He had to do something to help.

She was looking at him expectantly; he dropped his gaze to the floor and let the words tumble out, "Today he said he loved you."

"What?" she cried, her tears instantly stopping. "That doesn't make any sense-"

"It's true. I mean, he kinda blurted it out, and then froze, but he did say it."

Jess sat frozen, her brow furrowed.

"And I think he meant it," he added quietly.

"Huh," she chuckled and rubbed her face in her hand, "Well isn't that just dandy. Well I'm pretty sure his last words to me, 'I can't do this with you', supersede whatever he blurted out to you." Her words had an acidic tinge. She turned herself over, so her head lay on the couch and he took this as his cue to leave.

"I'm sorry Jess. Really- I am."

She didn't reply.

* * *

"Pick up, pick up, pick up," he mumbled to himself as the phone kept ringing. "Come on-"

The line clicked.

"Hellooooowwwww?"

_Great. _He was drunk.

"Nick? Where the hell are you?"

"Meeee? I'm here with my good friend _Bob. _He's such a good _friend_. Always there for me to pour my whisk-eyyy." He ended with a hiccup.

"Stay there, I'm coming to get you."

"I'm not going anywheeerrrrreeeeee-" His voice slurred of into a drunken groan and the line went dead.

* * *

"Shh, Nick, stop singing…"

"What? I'm not singing! That's the birds…." Nick mumbled as Schmidt manoeuvred him into apartment 3A. Once inside, he pushed him to the sofa and emptied the bag of sober up supplies he had purchased at Rite Aid onto the couch. Soda, Gatorade, water, Advil, white bread and a Snickers bar.

"Okay Nick- I need you to sober up. We have both screwed up big time and I need to fix it." He cracked open the can of soda and began to force it down his friends throat.

_One hour later…_

"Okay Schmidt, stop!" He pushed away the bottle of cherry Gatorade that Schmidt brought towards his lips and stumbled to his feet, "Please, I'm begging you."

"Oh thank God! I thought we were going to have another Reno-"

"Schmidt that was one time! And it was five years ago. And I kept my socks on!"

Schmidt dropped to the sofa and Nick sank back down to join him.

"What happened with Jess man?"

"Well, uh, you see…" He stopped, rubbing his hands together anxiously. "I think we broke up. I think I broke up with her."

"You think?"

"Well, to be honest, it's all a bit of a blur…"

Turning, Schmidt placed his hand on his friends shoulder, "Well it's not to her. She's heartbroken Nick." He watched his friend's face crumple.

"I never wanted to hurt her, I just…"

"You just what, Nick?"

Nick fidgeted nervously on the couch, "What you said. It got to me."

"And why the hell did you start listening to me now? Of all times. You told me you love her, man!"

"I do," he acknowledged quietly.

"Then go and tell her you idiot. Fix this!"

Nick's gaze flashed to Schmidt's face. "But I thought you-"

"Well maybe I was wrong."

Nick shook his head, "It's too late man. I blew it."

"It's never too late if you really love someone."

* * *

"Jessica?"

He softly rapped on the door and waited for her to reply.

"Go away."

Ignoring her, he pushed in the door and crept towards the bed where she lay. The only illumination was the shaft of moonlight that peeked through the blue curtains that draped from her windows. He could see the outline of her form in the grey tinged light. She lay on her side, facing away from him, the comforter clutched around her body.

"Jessica." He repeated.

Slowly she turned so they were face to face, he inched forward, stopping a few feet from the bed. "I'm sorry." Her mouth pinched and her eyes flicked, though she didn't match his gaze.

"I'm an idiot. I let Schmidt get to me. I didn't mean any of what I said, I just-"

"You really hurt me Nick," she said softly, barely above a whisper. "I never thought you'd do that."

"Neither did I." He shifted closer to the bed and sat on its edge. His hand wound its way into her hair as his thumb stroked her cheek. "I guess the old Nick Miller is still inside me."

"The old Nick Miller is a jerk." Jess retorted.

Nick smiled, "Yes he is." Reaching down, he kissed her nose softly. "But you know something? That Nick Miller is fading away. And this one," he pointed at his chest, "Never wants to hurt you again."

"But you can't promise me that."

"No," he replied softly. "But I can promise I won't stop trying. I want you to be happy. Because…" He swallowed the lump in his throat and looked at hers still glazed eyes. "Because, I…"

She lifted a hand to his chest. "I love you Nick."

His eyes widened and he took in a deep breath.

"I'm tired of pretending I don't. I love you and I have for a while. I don't even know when it started. But I do."

His jaw dropped and heart began to race.

"So when you say things like that – like today. It hurts. Here," she jabbed her chest with her index finger.

Quickly, he moved his body so they lay parallel to one another, his forehead touching hers.

"Jess. I love you. More than that. I'm head over heels in love with you. I've never felt this way before. And I'm terrible at talking about my feelings…"

"Don't stop-" she whispered, grasping his hip with her hand.

His eyes searched hers. "I love you and it scares me. But maybe I should be a bit scared more often."

"You're an idiot."

"I know."

He cupped her face, drawing her closer for a kiss – a mixture of salty tears and heartfelt declarations. It felt different.

"Do you forgive me?"

Slowly, her lips spread into a smile. "Not yet, but let's work on that." She tugged his mouth to hers as her tears dried away and the cloud over her mind slowly began to lift.

* * *

"Are you sure you haven't been buying more stuff this past week?" Winston asked as he surveyed the boxes stacked in Schmidt's room. "I'm sure there wasn't this much before."

"Oh Winston, you are imagining things!" He smiled broadly as he pushed the paper bags from Bed, Bath and Beyond further into his closet.

"Sure," Winston smiled in reply, his eye brow's raised, "So, True Blood, living room, 30 minutes."

"I'm there. Love me some Anna Paquin…"

* * *

Jess sat cross legged on Nick's bed, watching him as he haphazardly tidied away his laundry.

"So, he's back."

"Uh-huh."

"For real?" she asked.

"I think so. He said the apartment was an illegal sublet and when Remy saw he was there he threw him out."

"Do you believe him?"

He pushed the last t-shirt into his dresser and joined her on the bed. "Maybe."

She slid onto her back and he made his way up her body until their hips met and her she let out a small groan. "So all is well in 4D."

He pushed back her hair and began to kiss a line down her neck. "Until next time…"

She placed her hand on his chest and pushed, "There will be no next time Miller…"

Smiling he pulled away her hand and ran his own hand across the exposed skin of her chest. "No, no there won't. Now come here you sexy woman."

She fell into a fit of giggles as he sank his mouth into the soft valley of her breasts – flicking open the buttons of her shirt as she went. Relaxing, she let him take the lead at first- tugging at her clothes, urgently taking what he wanted from her lips, breasts and expanse of skin that spanned the gap between her waist and her hips.

Instinctively, she pushed up her hips, revelling in the feel of his lips on her skin, his hands tugging at her clothes and the feeling, the knowing, he loved her. He really did.

She sighed happily. "Don't ever stop…."

* * *

Stepping out of his room, the living room echoed with the faint sound of moaning, panting and squeals.

Winston was already sat on the couch, loading up the DVR.

"Hey man, you know we can do this later if…"

"Nah, it's cool bro._"_

He sank into the soft leather beside Winston, and took hold of the remote control. Quickly he cranked the volume us as far as it would go and propped his heels up on the table.

"Anna Paquin," he smiled as the show began.

* * *

_The 'As long as__ you're __dating Oath._

_We,_ the _undersigned, agree:_

_To be considerate of the other roommates._

_Limit role play/excessive loudness._

_Not listen to anything Schmidt says (when it comes to our relationship)._

_Signed:_  
_Nicholas Miller –Roommate 1_  
_Jessica Day – Roommate 2_

With a flourish Jess signed the gleaming sheet of white legal paper.

"Do you think this means that this is over? Things are going to settle down around here."

Nick came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin against the hollow of her neck. "I hope so."

He pressed his lips against her neck and held her tight. Finally, everything was falling into place.

_**The end…**_


End file.
